U.S. patent application number 11/893599 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-19 for method and system for automatically exchanging information concerning an amount of water by wireless communication between a vehicle and an information center.
This patent application is currently assigned to Airbus Deutschland GmbH. Invention is credited to Marko Alke, Paolo Cavarero, Luc Leroy, Murat Uenlue.
Application Number | 20090045980 11/893599 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40362546 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090045980 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Leroy; Luc ; et al. |
February 19, 2009 |
Method and system for automatically exchanging information
concerning an amount of water by wireless communication between a
vehicle and an information center
Abstract
A method and a system for automatically exchanging information
by wireless communication, particularly between a vehicle such as
an aircraft and an information center, is proposed. The information
to be exchanged concerns an amount of water for the vehicle. The
amount of water on board of the vehicle is automatically measured
by a device for determining the amount of water. The transmitter of
a device for exchanging information at the vehicle automatically
and wirelessly transmits the information concerning the current
amount of water to a receiver of a device for exchanging
information at an information center. New information parameters
are wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter of the device for
exchanging information at the information center to the receiver of
the device for exchanging information at the vehicle.
Inventors: |
Leroy; Luc; (Toulouse,
FR) ; Cavarero; Paolo; (Hamburg, DE) ; Uenlue;
Murat; (Hamburg, DE) ; Alke; Marko; (Hamburg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LERNER, DAVID, LITTENBERG,;KRUMHOLZ & MENTLIK
600 SOUTH AVENUE WEST
WESTFIELD
NJ
07090
US
|
Assignee: |
Airbus Deutschland GmbH
Hamburg
DE
Airbus SAS
Blagnac Cedex
FR
|
Family ID: |
40362546 |
Appl. No.: |
11/893599 |
Filed: |
August 14, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/945 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 1/16 20130101; H04Q
9/00 20130101; G01F 23/0069 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
340/945 |
International
Class: |
G08B 21/00 20060101
G08B021/00 |
Claims
1. A method for exchanging information between a vehicle and an
information center, the information concerning an amount of water
for the vehicle, the method comprising: determining the amount of
water; and automatically exchanging information about the
determined amount of water via wireless communication.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of
information comprises: requesting a status report by the
information center from the vehicle, the status report indicating
current parameters concerning the determined amount of water;
sending the status report by the vehicle to the information center;
and submitting information indicating new parameters concerning an
amount of water from the information center to the vehicle.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the new parameters are determined
based on the information only available at the information
center.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of
information further comprises: acknowledging received information
by sending a validation signal from the vehicle to the information
center.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of
information further comprises: activating of received information
by a separate command submitted by the information center to the
vehicle.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatic exchange of
information further comprises: sending a final confirmation from
the vehicle to the information center.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the
exchanged information to a data output device located at the
vehicle.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is exchanged
using at least one of HF signal transmission, VHF signal
transmission and satellite signal communication.
9. A system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an
information center, the information concerning an amount of water
for the vehicle, the system comprising: a device for determining
the amount of water; and a device for automatically exchanging
information about the determined amount of water via wireless
communication.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically
exchanging information further comprises: a receiver adapted for
receiving a request for a status report from the information
center, the status report indicating current parameters concerning
the determined amount of water; and a transmitter adapted for
sending the status report to the information center; wherein the
receiver is further adapted for receiving the submitted information
from the information center, wherein the information is indicating
new parameters concerning an amount of water.
11. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically
exchanging information comprises a transmitter adapted for
acknowledging the received information by sending back a valid
value to the information center.
12. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically
exchanging information comprises a receiver is adapted for
activating received information by receiving a separate command
submitted by the information center.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein the device for automatically
exchanging information comprises a transmitter adapted for sending
a final confirmation to the information center.
14. The system of claim 9, further comprising a data output device
located at the vehicle.
15. An aircraft comprising a system for exchanging information
between a vehicle and an information center, the information
concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the system
comprising: a device for determining the amount of water; and a
device for automatically exchanging information about the
determined amount of water via wireless communication.
16. A system for exchanging information concerning an amount of
water for a vehicle between the vehicle and an information center,
comprising a processor programmed with a set of instructions for:
determining the amount of water; and automatically exchanging
information about the determined amount of water via wireless
communication.
17. In a system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an
information center, concerning an amount of water for the vehicle,
a computer readable medium storing instructions for causing a
processor to: determine the amount of water; and automatically
exchange information about the determined amount of water via
wireless communication.
18. An aircraft comprising a system for exchanging information
between a vehicle and an information center, the information
concerning an amount of water for the vehicle, the system
comprising: means for determining the amount of water; and means
for automatically exchanging information about the determined
amount of water via wireless communication.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for exchanging
information, and particularly for exchanging information between a
vehicle such as an aircraft and an information center, the
information concerning an amount of water carried in the vehicle.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a system adapted to
perform such method, a vehicle comprising such system, a computer
program adapted to perform such method when executed on a computer
and a computer readable medium comprising such program.
[0002] For vehicles involved in any kind of passenger
transportation it may be important to be able to exchange
information concerning the amount of a water for the passengers
with an information center. For example, in air traffic it may be
advantageous to exchange information about the amount of potable
water on board of an airborne aircraft during flight.
[0003] During ground service of the aircraft a ground crew inter
alia has to refill the water tanks. To calculate the necessary
amount of water needed in the following flight the ground crew must
have access to several data, i.e. e.g. pax load of the next flight.
Usually part of these data is only available at a ground station
and/or on the aircraft at the flight attendant panel and it is
difficult for the ground crew to access it directly after the
landing of the aircraft. Also the on board crew should not be
bothered with additional tasks concerning the ground service.
[0004] Accordingly, there may be a need for an improved method for
exchanging information concerning the amount of water for a vehicle
with an information center. Furthermore, there may be a need for a
system adapted to perform such a method, a vehicle comprising such
a system, a computer program adapted to perform such a method when
executed on a computer and a computer readable medium comprising
such a program.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] These needs may be met by the subject-matter according to
the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the present
invention are described in the dependent claims.
[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a
method for exchanging information between a vehicle and an
information center, the information concerning an amount of water
for the vehicle, is proposed. The method comprising at least the
following steps preferably in the following order: determining the
amount of the water; and automatically exchanging information about
the determined amount of the water via wireless communication.
[0007] In other words, the first aspect of the present invention
may be seen as based on the idea to e.g. measure or/and calculate
the quantity of water for a vehicle and to remotely send data
concerning this water preferably without human interaction over
distances via wireless communication. Accordingly, as there is no
need for direct contact of service personnel like the ground
operator, the cabin crew or the cockpit crew with service panels of
the vehicle, this can save time during service. Also the crew of
the vehicle needn't be bothered with the data transfer, which
leaves more time for the original tasks of the crew. For example,
in air traffic the airborne aircraft can exchange information with
a ground station concerning the amount of water to be filled on
board the aircraft for the next flight depending on the number of
passengers on that flight. This exchange can take place without the
help or interference of the board crew. After landing the aircraft
can immediately be optimally serviced with regard to the necessary
amount of water, which is possible due to the remotely sent data
considering information like pax load and the duration of the next
flight.
[0008] In the following, possible features and advantages of the
method according to the first aspect will be explained in
detail.
[0009] In the above described first aspect of the present
invention, "information" may be a set of digital and/or analog
data, which was processed, manipulated or grouped, or a number. The
information concerns an amount of water for the vehicle such as
e.g. an amount of water carried on board of the vehicle or an
amount of water which is to be filled into the vehicle's tanks.
[0010] "Water" can denote potable water for the service of
passengers or any kind of fresh water for example for cleaning
purposes. The amount of water can for example be determined by
measuring the volume of the water or by observing other features of
the water, which are correlated to the quantity of water.
[0011] "Automatically exchanging" may be interpreted such that the
vehicle is able to send and receive information without the
necessity of human interaction on board such as e.g. instruction by
the crew. The vehicle or a device at the vehicle may transmit or
receive data as soon as such an exchange is necessary.
[0012] The exchange of information is accomplished via "wireless
communication", which may be interpreted as a transfer of
information from one location to another without the use of cables
or electrical conductors. Possible ways of wireless communication
are for example transmissions using electromagnetic waves such as
High Frequency (HF, 3 MHz to 30 MHz) and Very High Frequency (VHF,
30 MHz to 300 MHz) or transmissions via communication
satelites.
[0013] The exchange of information may be possible in several
directions, i.e. from the vehicle to the information center and/or
form the information center to the vehicle. Here the vehicle may be
interpreted as a means of transportation like a car, a motorcycle,
a train, a ship or in particular an aircraft. The information
center may be any base station comprising the counterpart of the
communication system at the vehicle according to the present
invention. In particular the information center may be a portable
device like a computer, the tower of an airport or a ground
operator in an airport in general.
[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the automatic exchange of information in the method
described above, comprises at least the following steps preferably
in the following order: requesting a status report by the
information center from the vehicle, the status report indicating
current parameters concerning the determined amount of water;
sending the status report from the vehicle to the information
center; and submitting information indicating new parameters
concerning an amount of water from the information center to the
vehicle.
[0015] After requesting a status report and receiving it remotely
e.g. for control purposes, new parameters can be calculated with
the help of information available only at the information center
and sent back to the vehicle. The new parameters may be needed
later during service of the vehicle. For example in air traffic the
current water quantity may be sent from the aircraft to the ground
terminal. In the ground terminal the necessary additional amount of
e.g. potable water for the next flight may be calculated taking
into account information like the pax load of the next flight. For
example the status report states 40% of the tank volume of potable
water on board at landing. The ground terminal calculates the
necessary amount of water for the following flight, with a pax load
of 70%, to be 80% of the tank volume and submits this value to the
aircraft.
[0016] The procedures of requesting, submitting, acknowledging,
activating and the like may be interpreted as sending or receiving,
i.e. exchanging appropriate information, parameter or
instruction.
[0017] The sending of a "status report" may be interpreted as
sending a set of data or information. Particularly it may be the
"current parameters" of the determined amount of potable or fresh
water carried in the vehicle. "Current parameters" may be the newly
measured or latest data concerning the amount of water on the
vehicle. "New parameters" may correspond to information submitted
to the vehicle from the information center, wherein the new
parameters may differ from the current parameters.
[0018] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention the new parameters are determined based on the status
report and/or the information only available at the information
center. That way the current parameters transmitted in the status
report may be used for calculating the new parameters. Accordingly
weight savings can be achieved as described above.
[0019] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the automatic exchange of information further comprises
the step of acknowledging the received information by sending a
validation signal from the vehicle to the information center.
[0020] The validation signal may be the data transmitted in the
status report or a certain value, number or message previously
agreed on by the vehicle and the information center. The validation
signal confirms the receipt of the new parameters, so a possible
error or malfunction of the method and/or system can be excluded.
In the case where the vehicle may not receive new parameters, it
does not send a validation signal and so the information center is
notified about a possible error and can take the necessary steps to
mend the malfunction, for example in repeating the procedure.
[0021] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the automatic exchange of information further comprises
the step of activating the received information by a separate
command submitted by the information center to the vehicle.
[0022] The separate command may be transmitted as a message, a
certain value or number previously agreed on. The separation of the
submitted new parameters and the activation of these parameters
into two individual communications supports the recognition of
possible errors or malfunctions. It may be particularly
advantageous to send the activation command from the information
center to the vehicle after receiving the validation signal from
the vehicle at the information center. This way, the information
center first receives a confirmation, that the right data has been
received before actually activating it.
[0023] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the automatic exchange of information further comprises
the step of sending a final confirmation from the vehicle to the
information center.
[0024] The sending of a final confirmation from the vehicle to the
information center further supports the recognition of possible
errors or malfunctions. By sending a final confirmation the vehicle
transmits the verification that the method was accomplished
successfully. Otherwise, if no final confirmation is received at
the information center it may be a hint that a possible error or
malfunction has to be found and fixed.
[0025] The value sent from the information center to the vehicle
can be corrected and/or set to a new value via a panel on board of
the vehicle. This allows for corrections in the case of a
malfunction which for example can not be fixed during the
flight.
[0026] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the method further comprises providing of the exchanged
information to a data output device located at the vehicle.
[0027] The data output device may be a display, a screen or a data
interface in or on the vehicle. The data output device may allow
for a checking of the automatically transmitted information by the
on board crew of the vehicle, if needed. Also it may facilitate the
access to the necessary information during service by the ground
crew.
[0028] After the vehicle passes through the service procedure the
value concerning the amount of water can be automatically set to a
default value. This helps to prevent errors like the use of not
current data for the next service procedure.
[0029] According to a further exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, the information is exchanged using at least one of HF
signal transmission, VHF signal transmission and satellite signal
communication.
[0030] The transmission using electromagnetic waves such as High
Frequency (HF, 3 MHz to 30 MHz) and Very High Frequency (VHF, 30
MHz to 300 MHz) or transmissions via communication satelites is
advantageous because direct, long-distance (also inter-continental)
transmission may be possible. Particularly communication via
satelites is stable and therefore especially convenient for
transmitting information over long distances. Furthermore all the
mentioned communication types are well established in and suited
for air traffic communications.
[0031] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a
system for exchanging information between a vehicle and an
information center, the information concerning an amount of water
for the vehicle, is proposed. The system comprises at least the
following components: a device for determining the amount of water
and a device for automatically exchanging information about the
determined amount of water via wireless communication.
[0032] The device for determining the amount of water may be a
device adapted to measure the volume of water or to observe other
features of the water, which are correlated to its quantity, like
mass, density or pressure and the like. For example, if the volume
of potable water in a sanitary tank shall be measured, then the
level of the water may be measured with a spacer or the like and
the volume calculated by taking into consideration the dimensions
of the tank. Alternatively the amount of the water may be measured
by observing the amount of the consumed water with the help of
sensors detecting the flow of the water and calculating the current
amount using the initial amount of the water in the vehicle and the
amount of consumed water. Further examples for measuring devices
may be scales, vacuum gauges, manometers and the like in
combination with a calculating device like a computer.
[0033] The device for automatically exchanging information via
wireless communication may comprise a receiving part and a sending
part and may be adapted to receive and transmit information via
wireless communication. The receiving part may be a radiation
detector like for example an antenna, which is adapted for
receiving signals or information sent by a sending device, the
location of the receiving part differing from the location of a
sender. The sending part may be a source of electromagnetic
radiation, which transmits information to a receiver. The receiving
part and the sending part of the device for automatically
exchanging information may be one and the same device or two
different devices spatially separated or grouped together.
[0034] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an
aircraft comprising a system according to the second aspect of the
present invention and/or its embodiments, is presented.
[0035] According to a forth aspect of the present invention, a
program element is presented. The program element when being
executed on a processor, is adapted to carry out the method
according to the first aspect of the present invention and/or its
embodiments.
[0036] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a
computer readable medium is presented. The computer readable medium
has stored thereon the program element according to the forth
aspect of the present invention.
[0037] It has to be noted that embodiments of the invention are
described with reference to different subject matters. In
particular, some embodiments are described with reference to method
type claims whereas other embodiments are described with reference
to apparatus type claims. However, a person skilled in the art will
gather from the above and the following description that, unless
other notified, in addition to any combination of features
belonging to one type of subject matter also any combination
between features relating to different subject matters is
considered to be disclosed with this application.
[0038] The aspects defined above and further aspects, features and
advantages of the present invention can also be derived from the
examples of embodiments to be described hereinafter and are
explained with reference to examples of embodiments. The invention
will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to
examples of embodiments but to which the invention is not
limited.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a system for
automatically exchanging information by wireless communication
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram schematically representing a
method for automatically exchanging information by wireless
communication according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] The illustration in the drawings is schematically only. It
is noted that in different figures, similar or identical elements
are provided with the same reference signs.
[0042] In FIG. 1 a system for automatically exchanging information
by wireless communication according to an embodiment of the present
invention is shown schematically. Water tanks (2) are comprised in
an aircraft (10), they are interconnected with the water supply
system (5) of the aircraft (10) and contain fresh water (4) or
potable water (4) for the passengers. In the case of potable water
tanks (2) the tanks and also the pipes (3) for interconnecting are
sanitary. The amount of water (4) in a tank (2) is automatically
measured by a device (6) for determining the amount of water. The
information concerning the current amount of water (4) is collected
in the device (7) for exchanging information. The device (7) for
exchanging information comprises a receiver (9) and a transmitter
(11). The transmitter (11) automatically and wirelessly transmits
the information concerning the current amount of water (4) to a
receiver (17) of a device (15) for exchanging information at an
information center (20). The information concerning the current
amount of water (4) is processed at the information center (20) in
a processor (27) and new information parameters are wirelessly
transmitted from the transmitter (19) of the device (15) for
exchanging information at the information center (20) to the
receiver (9) of the device (7) for exchanging information at the
aircraft (10). The wireless communication of information takes
place via high frequency HF (23), very high frequency (25) or
satellite (30) communication (21). The information can be accessed
at the aircraft (10) with the help of a data output device
(13).
[0043] FIG. 2 can be used to explain the basic steps of a method
for automatically exchanging information by wireless communication
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] The information center (20) sends a request requesting a
status report from the aircraft (10). The status report indicating
current parameters concerning the determined amount of water (4)
(step 31).
[0045] The aircraft (10) sends the current parameters concerning
the determined amount of water (4) to the information center (10)
(step 33).
[0046] Than the information center (20) submits information
indicating new parameters concerning an amount of water (4) to be
refilled during the next service on the aircraft (10) (step
35).
[0047] The aircraft (10) acknowledges the received information by
sending back a validation value to the information center (20)
(step 37).
[0048] The information center (20) activates the received
information in the aircraft (10) by sending a separate command to
the aircraft (10) (step 39).
[0049] The aircraft (10) sends a final confirmation to the
information center (20) (step 41).
[0050] It should be noted that the term "comprising" does not
exclude other elements or steps and the "a" or "an" does not
exclude a plurality. Also elements described in association with
different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that
reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting
the scope of the claims.
[0051] List of Reference Signs
[0052] 2 water tank
[0053] 3 pipe
[0054] 4 water
[0055] 5 water supply system
[0056] 6 device for determining the amount of water
[0057] 7 device for exchanging information
[0058] 9 receiver
[0059] 10 aircraft
[0060] 11 transmitter
[0061] 13 data output device
[0062] 15 device for exchanging information
[0063] 17 receiver
[0064] 19 transmitter
[0065] 20 information center
[0066] 21 information exchange via satellite
[0067] 23 information exchange via HF
[0068] 25 information exchange via VHF
[0069] 27 processor
[0070] 30 satellite
* * * * *